Travel Alert For The Christmas Holiday

[John K]

It is way too early to make a call on this but from memory in the past the booze stopped 12 hours before the polls opened and resumed a few hours after being around midnight. By that it should be from about 6:00 pm on December 22 to about 12:01 am December 24.

[farang prince]

Yes, the Thais have to be sober so they know to whom they are selling their votes.

[andyc2006]

On the topic of Christmas, will everything be open Christmas day? Govt offices, such as the Amphur, etc...?

Christmas is just a day on the Christian calendar, exploited by the retail industry.

Unless they declare it a public holiday for some reason, just another day at the office wearing funny hats like Halloween.

well, I wish you were right but it appears that you're not:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=73362

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/holidays.html

The latter is a US thing, but the former indicates that I won't be able to get much done at any of the offices I'll be going to.

Thanks though.

[Prakanong]

On the topic of Christmas, will everything be open Christmas day? Govt offices, such as the Amphur, etc...?

Christmas is just a day on the Christian calendar, exploited by the retail industry.

Unless they declare it a public holiday for some reason, just another day at the office wearing funny hats like Halloween.

well, I wish you were right but it appears that you're not:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=73362

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/holidays.html

The latter is a US thing, but the former indicates that I won't be able to get much done at any of the offices I'll be going to.

Thanks though.

It is just another day at the office though for the overwhelming majority of businesses in Thailand and why should it not be.

Of course Western Embassies are different where the 25th is a public holiday back home

[grahamhc]

Re - Chrismas: Christmas is a Christian celebration. Thailand welcomes everybody, but sticks to their own religious holidays.

Example 1: Last Chrismas Day I was wakened to the sound of what I though was Santa's sleigh. But no, it was the Bin Men on their normal collection round. Then the local children, both Thai and foreign, went to school, as it was a normal day, just like any other.

Re - Election alcohol: It is not the selling of alcohol that "Worries" tourists, it is the lack of opportunity to enjoy THEIR HOLIDAY. Closures are the problem, not the drink.

Example 2: The LAW says NO ALCOHOL, so the other year an enterprising and highly successful British Gogo owner decided to open and sell SOFT DRINKS ONLY. As to be expected, The BiB turned up, but having checked the till receipts and quicky inspected the contents of the customers glasses, smiled and said everything was in order and left.

Yes, you can enjoy a Filet Mignion or Lamb Shanks with a glass of water in a quality restaurant and a glass of cola in a bar without hardship.

IN FACT, for the hardened drinkers, YOUR LIVER MAY BE GRATEFUL for a day or two of rest.

[HunkeyDorey]

Yes, there are always small places where you can buy alcohol, but then there are also always places where you can buy drugs!

Personally, I think I'll spend my Christmas in Saudi Arabia! I just hate it when a Buddhist country decides to make me get in touch with the 'true' meaning of Christmas!

I'm in Saudi too Scott so I'm going to get in touch with the true meaning of Christmas here and get drunk as a skunk. Happy shMishmash

Hunkey Dorey

[parmi]

If you are a foreign tourist and want a drink,who cares, you cant vote anyway, so impose the no alcohol ban on thais if it is really needed, but throughout the kingdom,thats a lot of money NOT being spent,You will only need to go to nana or cowboy in bkk, or anywhere on walking street in pattaya to get a drink on these days, and we all know why, lol lol , i personnally am a non drinker so i couldnt care less, but this is just another negative in the eyes of foreign nationals wishing to spend time in thailand for the hols,HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

[teacher]

TV Channel 3 reports that because of the general election alcohol sales will be prohibited throughout the Kingdom from 6:00 PM on December 22nd to the 25th.

Should be an interesting Christmas holiday this year.

Cheers!

This is exactly what the Thais think of us farangs.

What with all the new tourist, immigration rule changes, house changes, company changes, ownership etc etc. (do i really need to go on?) there is a feeling we are not wanted here.

They are driving us out to places like Phillippines, Cambodia and vietnam where they will actually welcome you.

[Prakanong]

TV Channel 3 reports that because of the general election alcohol sales will be prohibited throughout the Kingdom from 6:00 PM on December 22nd to the 25th.

Should be an interesting Christmas holiday this year.

Cheers!

This is exactly what the Thais think of us farangs.

What with all the new tourist, immigration rule changes, house changes, company changes, ownership etc etc. (do i really need to go on?) there is a feeling we are not wanted here.

They are driving us out to places like Phillippines, Cambodia and vietnam where they will actually welcome you.

Are you wired correctly?

This is not an anti-farang move - they have banned booze at election time for some time now!

Paranoid or what - been here a few months have we?

Just out of interst - have you spent any time in the countries you mentioned or Asia in general?

[andyc2006]

On the topic of Christmas, will everything be open Christmas day? Govt offices, such as the Amphur, etc...?

Christmas is just a day on the Christian calendar, exploited by the retail industry.

Unless they declare it a public holiday for some reason, just another day at the office wearing funny hats like Halloween.

well, I wish you were right but it appears that you're not:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=73362

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/holidays.html

The latter is a US thing, but the former indicates that I won't be able to get much done at any of the offices I'll be going to.

Thanks though.

It is just another day at the office though for the overwhelming majority of businesses in Thailand and why should it not be.

Of course Western Embassies are different where the 25th is a public holiday back home

I understand the point you're trying to make (hey, I'm an athiest, so I love that Christmas takes a back seat to the Buddhist holidays), but according to Thaivisa.com (see the first link that I posted in response), Christmas is an official Thai public holiday.

I imagine that the least, based on that, I can count on Thai govt offices closing, and can not count on Thai private businesses staying open for business-as-usual (though some may).

Are you saying that it is not a Thai public holiday?

[HunkeyDorey]

I understand the point you're trying to make (hey, I'm an athiest, so I love that Christmas takes a back seat to the Buddhist holidays), but according to Thaivisa.com (see the first link that I posted in response), Christmas is an official Thai public holiday.

I am an Athiest too but I am not anti Christian or anti Bhuddist. I believe that God is not Humanoid, just Light and Gravity, Matter and Nuclear activity + a few more dimensions. Actually if the crunch came I would say I am more a Buddhist than a Christian. I'll not say more as this topic deserves it's own forum.

Happy Christmas everybody and I hope there is an equitable outcome from the elections that will seve everybody in Thailand especially the Thais.

Hunkey Dorey

[varun]

Wherever you are, walk past the bright lights, past the 7-11's, into one of them barely noticeable soi's found pretty much everywhere.

Sure enough, there will be a little shack selling atleast Sangsom / Chang and Leo.

TiT, plain and simple.

I do fear for club / pub owners though.

Punters, as always, eventually find a workaround.